Massaging and cleaning device



Oct. 19, 1954 D. ROSENWEIN MASSAGING AND CLEANING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1950 I A l,

INVENTOR DAVID ROSE NWE l N ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 19, 195 4 UNITED STATES PAT ENT F F I (I MAS'SAGING AND CLEANING; nov ce David Rosenwein, LosAngelies, Galifi.

Application October 30, 1950,, SerialNo. 192,843;

2 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to a massaging and bathing device, particularly adapted for cleaning and massaging the. back.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved back cleaning and massaging device comprising an elongated member having hand engaging elements at the ends thereof and a massaging element, such as a moisture absorbent sponge, removably secured to the elongated member midway between the hand engaging ele- Y ments.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device wherein the cleaning and massaging element is positively secured to the backing material but may be conveniently removed to permit laundering of the backing material and cleaning of the massaging element.

Another-object is to provide such a device that is simple as to its parts, conveniently assembled and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention with reference to the illustrative embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a cleaning and massaging device embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional end view on line 6-6 of the device shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 through 4, I0 is a massaging and cleaning device generally comprising a base or support member l2, dependent hand engaging members It, and a moisture absorbent sponge H6.

The base or support member I2 comprises in the preferred form of the invention an elongated strip of textile material, for example, terry cloth having a. relatively thick nap. However, other types of textile material may be employed such as muslin or the support may be in the form of a flexible web as long as the structure of the material is of such nature that the support is not easily distorted and pulled out of shape dur- I ing use. Where a firmer support member is desired stitches l3 may be applied to the support member I2 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The dependent hand engaging members It may be constructed of any suitable material such as hard finished; textile material; plastic orrubjber, and attached to the ends of' the support H! as by stitches H3; or the handles. it may be detachabl-y secured to the backing by the use of: any of the Wellknown separable fasteners. When the material of the base or support relatively' coarse the hand engaging membersmay well be constructed of the same material and formed out of the ends of the support.

A moisture absorbent sponge I6 of either natural or artificial material, such as a regenerated cellulose sponge, is removably secured to the base member, as hereinafter described, mid-way between the hand engaging members M.

Cleaning devices employing sponges permanently attached to a support by means of a waterproof adhesive or by riveting the sponge to the backing have been proposed but with such a construction it substantially impossible or impracticable to remove the sponge from the backing when it is desired to launder the backing material or clean the sponge.

To overcome this disadvantage and to provide an inexpensive and convenient securing means for the cleaning and massaging device, longitudinal recesses or channels are cut to a substantial depth into the top surface of the sponge. Textile tapes 22 substantially the width of the channels 20 are placed in the channels and the sponge is attached to the support I2 by bonding the tab-like extensions 24 to the backing, for example by stitches 25 passing through the tabs. and the backing, which may be readily severed, or by the use of any of the well known separable fasteners attached to the tabs 24 and the backing i2.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings showing a modified form of the invention, I2 is the base or support member constructed of and in accordance with the principles hereinbefore described with reference to support member 12 shown in Figs. 1 through 4, having hand engaging elements (not shown) and a moisture absorbent sponge [6.

The sponge i6 is provided with a peripheral flange 26 providing recesses around the periphery of the sponge adapted to receive binding tapes 28. Each corner of the sponge and its peripheral flange is cut away to provide for the tab-like extensions 30 of tapes 28. The sponge is attached to the support 12 at each corner by tacking stitches 25' passing through the tabs and the backing or by separable fasteners secured to the tabs and the backing.

It will be evident that various modifications may be made in the construction of the device. For example, both longitudinal and peripheral tape receiving channels or recesses may be provided, or more than one sponge may be applied to a single support.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved massaging and cleaning device whereby the aims, objects and advantages of the invention are fully accomplished.

I claim:

1. A massaging and cleaning device comprising an elongated textile base member adapted for cleaning, hand gripping members provided at each end of the textile base member, a moisture absorbent sponge having one entire face in contact with one face of the textile base member substantially equidistant between the ends of the textile base member, preformed recesses extending across the face of the moisture absorbent sponge opposite the face in contact with the textile base member, tape members in and extending across the preformed recesses in said moisture absorbent sponge and bearing against said sponge, the free ends of said tape members extending beyond said moisture absorbent sponge, and fastening means securing the free ends of the tape members to said one face of the textile base member to permit limited relative flexure between the moisture absorbent sponge and said one face of the textile base member and to hold the sponge on the base member.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the preformed recesses are provided along each of the upper edges of the moisture absorbent sponge, and each corner of the sponge is cut away to provide for the attachment of the free ends of the tape members to the textile base member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 315,814 Morgan Apr. 14, 1885 1,270,536 Maher June 25, 1918 1,379,925 Kawasaki May 31, 1921 1,423,315 Poirier Nov. 6, 1923 2,069,643 Burke Feb. 2, 1937 2,155,462 Anderson Apr. 25, 1939 2,485,899 McBreen Oct. 25, 1949 2,569,712 Bell July 1'7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 275,940 Germany July 1, 1914 

